Oinien: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 17:28, 9 October 2026

Oinien
Image
Plural	Oinien
Classification	Human
Homeland	Orinilure
Average Height	5 ft (152 cm)
Average Lifespan	90–120 years
Distinction	Nearly blind; echolocation
Language	Oinien
Factions	Orinilure Collective • Erden Monopoly

Introduction

The Oinien are a subterranean people of humans native to Orinilure, in northern Méniail. They live in cavern systems and underground cities within the Orinilure Mountains and the Irere Mountains, and are nearly blind, relying on echolocation in place of sight. They are divided between two states, the Orinilure Collective in the east and the Erden Monopoly in the west. The Oinien maintain and extend the Deep Roads, and about 50,000 of them live in the cities of the Arânzeni Confederation in Khamria.

Etymology

From the Oinien word oinilineu, "echoing voice".

Origin and Nature

The Oinien descend from settlers who landed in Gosterra during the Great Migration. In 150 ME a group of their descendants entered the Orinilure Mountains and the Irere Mountains and took shelter from surface dangers in the natural caverns of the ranges. The Himoja, the native people of the region, received them peacefully and helped them to establish themselves. Over generations these communities moved deeper into the earth.

Three Ascendant Spirits of Orinilure are held to have shaped them. Iriché, the spirit of desire and greed, shaped their culture and outlook. Kiyañ, the spirit of caves, is associated with the changes to their bodies underground. Oviyai, the spirit of sound and silence, is associated with their echolocation.

History

The settlers of 150 ME found passages left beneath the mountains by the Namuril and began to extend them. The period of expansion that followed is known in Orinilure and Khamria as the Age of Deep Roads (150 – c. 500 ME). The Orinilure Collective was formed in 230 ME to govern the settlements of the Orinilure Mountains.

After the Arânzeni settled the Baviare Vale, Oinien tunnels were extended to their settlements. They reached Lavierin by way of Gareag in 372 ME, and a second road to Lepigisțil opened in 431 ME. Many Oinien settled in Arânzeni cities.

In 440 ME the Collective chartered the Erden Monopoly to mine and settle the Irere Mountains. The Monopoly came to govern the western range in its own right, and the Oinien of the two ranges grew apart in custom and belief.

The Collective and the Monopoly went to war from 626 to 633 ME. The treaty that ended the war left the land between the two states, around the House of Iriché in the Orinilure Valley, as a neutral zone belonging to neither. Both states built the Treaty Forts along it, and the forts remain garrisoned.

Biology and Physical Traits

Long habitation underground has altered the Oinien physique. They are nearly blind. In place of sight they have acute hearing and use a form of echolocation: from low-frequency clicks, the vibration of footsteps, and ambient echoes they form a detailed sense of their surroundings.

Their skin is pale to the point of translucence and gives little protection from sunlight. Exposure on the surface is hazardous, and most Oinien rarely go above ground. The Oinien are shorter than most humans, averaging 5 ft (152 cm), and live 90 to 120 years.

Abilities and Osia

Oinien echolocation is the basis of their skill in tunnelling and mining.

Four paths of Osia are practised among the Oinien. Many who seek power or riches follow the Path of Iriché. Others follow the Path of Oviyai, seeking sharper echolocation and the ability to manipulate sound. Followers of the Path of Kiyañ manipulate the caves themselves, and their work is used in architecture and in building the Deep Roads. A significant number follow the Path of Yairan.

Culture and Society

Oinien culture is shaped by life underground. Without the sky, the sun, or the seasons, Oinien life follows the cycles of excavation, trade, and mineral production. Their philosophy regards desire as a form of striving and treats greed as a natural force to be understood and used rather than condemned.

Communal contribution is held in high esteem, whether through mining, engineering, artistry, or scholarship, but political power follows wealth. In the Orinilure Collective this is established in law: those who accumulate the most wealth in a year govern for the following cycle. The Erden Monopoly is a single chartered company that holds exclusive rights to mining and trade in the Irere Mountains and governs its territory directly.

Oinien cities are linear, built along the tunnels that connect them, and each settlement depends on the others for food, ore, or finished goods. The Irumi, a blind beast of burden, is used throughout Orinilure for haulage and farming.

Notable Settlements

Orinilure City, capital of the Orinilure Collective
Lirépiel
Avilîché
Aisembier
Biulu
Lirandi

Outside Orinilure, Oinien communities live in Gareag, in the Biașirisă district of Lavierin, and in the Oinien Quarter of Yacinsa.

Spirituality and Beliefs

The Oinien honor Iriché chiefly through mining and the accumulation of wealth. Kiyañ and Oviyai are also revered. Two Ancestral Spirits are particular to the Oinien: Biseri, formed from their reverence for the Deep Roads, and Mount Dombortisé, the highest peak of the Orinilure Mountains. Eliulien Iler is held sacred by the Oinien, as it is by the other peoples of Méniail.

Technology and Warfare

The Oinien are the foremost tunnellers and miners of Méniail and are known for metallurgy and for the use of geothermal heat and underground water. They maintain and build the Deep Roads in both Orinilure and Khamria.

Because they cannot keep watch on the surface, the Oinien rely on the Himoja and on hired foreign mercenaries as spotters. The practice is most established at Avilîché, the northern frontier post of the Collective.

Mythology and Legends

Oinien tradition attributes the expansion of the Deep Roads to the influence of Iriché. Biseri is said to appear to travelers on the roads as a guide.

Relations with Other Races

The Himoja, the native people of Orinilure, have lived peacefully alongside the Oinien since 150 ME. They farm the Orinilure Valley and supply much of the Oinien's grain, and they act as the Oinien's eyes on the surface. Most live in villages along the valley's rivers, and some live in Oinien settlements.

The Oinien are close partners of the Arânzeni. They trade with the cities of the Baviare Vale by the Deep Roads and carry out the engineering on the Confederation's stretches of the network. Disputes do occur: tensions with certain Oinien guilds led the Council of Lavierin to build the Ziplițic District in 640 ME.

The Oinien have little contact with the Mundari and regard them as savages. They have supported the Arânzeni against them.

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 {{Races Infobox
-|Name=Minthari
+|Name=Oinien
 |Civilized=Yes
-|Image=[[File:Minthari Miner.jpg|center|frameless]]
+|Image=[[File:Oinien_Female.jpg|center|frameless]]
-|Plural=Minthari
+|Plural=Oinien
-|Spirit Origin=Desame
 |Classification=Human
-|Homeland=Terasil
+|Homeland=[[Orinilure]]
-|Average Height=4-5 feet
+|Average Height=5 ft (152 cm)
 |Average lifespan=90–120 years
-|Distinction=Blind; echolocation-based perception; born of subterranean adaptation
+|Distinction=Nearly blind; echolocation
-|Factions=Minthal Collective, Republic of Astrathal
+|Language=Oinien
-|Inhabitants Name=Minthari
+|Factions=[[Orinilure Collective]], [[Erden Monopoly]]
-|Type=Civilized Corporeal
-|Realm=[[Terasil]]
-|Capital=[[Minthal]]
 }}
 {{Races Sections
-|Introduction=== Introduction ==
+|Introduction=The '''Oinien''' are a subterranean people of humans native to [[Orinilure]], in northern [[Méniail]]. They live in cavern systems and underground cities within the [[Orinilure Mountains]] and the [[Irere Mountains]], and are nearly blind, relying on echolocation in place of sight. They are divided between two states, the [[Orinilure Collective]] in the east and the [[Erden Monopoly]] in the west. The Oinien maintain and extend the [[Deep Roads]], and about 50,000 of them live in the cities of the [[Arânzeni Confederation]] in [[Khamria]].
-The '''Minthari''' are a subterranean lineage of humans whose civilization evolved entirely beneath the mountains of eastern [[Terasil]]. Originally seeking refuge from surface threats, their ancestors ventured deep into the earth—into the realm of [[Desame]], the [[Ascendant Spirit]] of Desire and Greed, who had taken refuge in the mineral-rich [[Minthal Range]]. Unknowingly entering Desame’s sphere of influence, the Minthari were gradually transformed by its unseen presence.
+|Etymology=From the Oinien word ''oinilineu'', "echoing voice".
+|Origin and Nature=The Oinien descend from settlers who landed in [[Gosterra]] during the [[Great Migration]]. In 150 ME a group of their descendants entered the Orinilure Mountains and the Irere Mountains and took shelter from surface dangers in the natural caverns of the ranges. The [[Himoja]], the native people of the region, received them peacefully and helped them to establish themselves. Over generations these communities moved deeper into the earth.
-This proximity reshaped them—physically, mentally, and spiritually—infusing their culture with an insatiable yearning for hidden wealth and forgotten truths. Over time, they abandoned the surface world and its sunlit rhythms entirely, adapting to eternal night through echolocation and an intimate [[attunement]] to stone and vibration. Though blind to light, they perceive their surroundings with astonishing clarity.
+Three [[Ascendant Spirit|Ascendant Spirits]] of Orinilure are held to have shaped them. [[Iriché]], the spirit of desire and greed, shaped their culture and outlook. [[Kiyañ]], the spirit of caves, is associated with the changes to their bodies underground. [[Oviyai]], the spirit of sound and silence, is associated with their echolocation.
+|History={{See also|Deep Roads}}
+The settlers of 150 ME found passages left beneath the mountains by the [[Namuril]] and began to extend them. The period of expansion that followed is known in Orinilure and Khamria as the Age of Deep Roads (150 – c. 500 ME). The Orinilure Collective was formed in 230 ME to govern the settlements of the Orinilure Mountains.
-The Minthari embody the tension between ambition and excess, between the sacred act of seeking and the peril of hoarding. Their society is one of miners, sculptors, and seekers—delving not only into the earth, but into the meaning of desire itself. They do not consider themselves exploiters of the earth, but interpreters of it: in every gem, they hear a memory; in every mineral vein, a buried will.
+After the [[Arânzeni]] settled the [[Baviare Vale]], Oinien tunnels were extended to their settlements. They reached [[Lavierin]] by way of [[Gareag]] in 372 ME, and a second road to [[Lepigisțil]] opened in 431 ME. Many Oinien settled in Arânzeni cities.
-|Origin and Nature=The Minthari trace their origins not to the surface-born lineages of [[Terasil]], but to an ancient migration—whether voluntary or compelled—into the cavernous depths beneath the [[Minthal]] and [[Astrathal Ranges]]. Generations ago, a sect of humans, driven by an unknown force, descended into the earth and gradually came under the influence of [[Desame]], the Ascendant Spirit of Desire and Greed. As with all spirits, Desame's influence was exerted not through words or pacts, but by sheer proximity—its essence seeping into all who lingered in its domain.
-Over time, this presence altered the settlers in both form and spirit. The transformation was not merely biological, but metaphysical. Minthari no longer perceived the world through sight, but through sound and vibration. Their reliance on echolocation—marked by subtle throat clicks—defines not only their senses but their entire way of life. In Minthari myth, to see with the eyes is to be deceived by surface things; only touch and sound can reveal the true structure of reality.
+In 440 ME the Collective chartered the Erden Monopoly to mine and settle the Irere Mountains. The Monopoly came to govern the western range in its own right, and the Oinien of the two ranges grew apart in custom and belief.
-Though their origin lies in yearning and descent, the Minthari do not reject this past. Instead, they embrace it—embedding it in their lore, ethics, and craftsmanship. To be Minthari is to understand the cost of wanting, and to accept that desire itself is neither curse nor blessing, but a path.
+The Collective and the Monopoly went to war from 626 to 633 ME. The treaty that ended the war left the land between the two states, around the House of Iriché in the [[Orinilure Valley]], as a neutral zone belonging to neither. Both states built the Treaty Forts along it, and the forts remain garrisoned.
-|Biology and Physical Traits=[[File:Minthari Market.jpg|thumb|A Minthari buying mushrooms.]]
+|Biology and Physical Traits=[[File:Oinien_Male.jpg|thumb|550x550px|A Young Oinien Man.]]
-Millennia of subterranean life have profoundly altered the physiology of the Minthari. Though human in origin, they are no longer fully adapted to the surface world. Their biology reflects both environmental adaptation and the metaphysical imprint of their descent into darkness.
+Long habitation underground has altered the Oinien physique. They are nearly blind. In place of sight they have acute hearing and use a form of echolocation: from low-frequency clicks, the vibration of footsteps, and ambient echoes they form a detailed sense of their surroundings.
-Blindness is universal among the Minthari. Their eyes have regressed into pale, milky remnants, sensitive only to pressure and ambient heat. In their place, the Minthari have developed an extraordinary capacity for echolocation. Using a combination of low-frequency throat clicks, footstep vibrations, and ambient echoes, they construct precise mental maps of their environment—far surpassing visual detail in texture, shape, and density.
+Their skin is pale to the point of translucence and gives little protection from sunlight. Exposure on the surface is hazardous, and most Oinien rarely go above ground. The Oinien are shorter than most humans, averaging 5 ft (152 cm), and live 90 to 120 years.
+|Abilities and Osia=Oinien echolocation is the basis of their skill in tunnelling and mining.
-Their skin is pale, almost translucent at times. It offers minimal protection from ultraviolet light, making prolonged exposure to the surface hazardous. Hair is bound close to the skull to minimize interference with mining and work.
+Four paths of [[Osia]] are practised among the Oinien. Many who seek power or riches follow the [[Path of Iriché]]. Others follow the [[Path of Oviyai]], seeking sharper echolocation and the ability to manipulate sound. Followers of the [[Path of Kiyañ]] manipulate the caves themselves, and their work is used in architecture and in building the Deep Roads. A significant number follow the [[Path of Yairan]].
+|Culture and Society=Oinien culture is shaped by life underground. Without the sky, the sun, or the seasons, Oinien life follows the cycles of excavation, trade, and mineral production. Their philosophy regards desire as a form of striving and treats greed as a natural force to be understood and used rather than condemned.
-Other distinctive features include:
+Communal contribution is held in high esteem, whether through mining, engineering, artistry, or scholarship, but political power follows wealth. In the Orinilure Collective this is established in law: those who accumulate the most wealth in a year govern for the following cycle. The Erden Monopoly is a single chartered company that holds exclusive rights to mining and trade in the Irere Mountains and governs its territory directly.
-* Strong upper bodes from working in mines.
+Oinien cities are linear, built along the tunnels that connect them, and each settlement depends on the others for food, ore, or finished goods. The [[Irumi]], a blind beast of burden, is used throughout Orinilure for haulage and farming.
+|Notable Settlements=* [[Orinilure City]], capital of the Orinilure Collective
+* [[Lirépiel]]
+* [[Avilîché]]
+* [[Aisembier]]
+* [[Biulu]]
+* [[Lirandi]]
-* Enlarged inner ear structures, enabling acute perception of subterranean acoustics.
+Outside Orinilure, Oinien communities live in [[Gareag]], in the Biașirisă district of [[Lavierin]], and in the Oinien Quarter of [[Yacinsa]].
+|Spirituality and Beliefs=The Oinien honor Iriché chiefly through mining and the accumulation of wealth. Kiyañ and Oviyai are also revered. Two [[Ancestral Spirit|Ancestral Spirits]] are particular to the Oinien: [[Biseri]], formed from their reverence for the Deep Roads, and [[Mount Dombortisé]], the highest peak of the Orinilure Mountains. [[Eliulien Iler]] is held sacred by the Oinien, as it is by the other peoples of Méniail.
+|Technology and Warfare=The Oinien are the foremost tunnellers and miners of Méniail and are known for metallurgy and for the use of geothermal heat and underground water. They maintain and build the Deep Roads in both Orinilure and Khamria.
-* Compact musculature and slightly bowed posture, better suited to crawling and maneuvering within narrow tunnels.
+Because they cannot keep watch on the surface, the Oinien rely on the Himoja and on hired foreign mercenaries as spotters. The practice is most established at Avilîché, the northern frontier post of the Collective.
+|Mythology and Legends=Oinien tradition attributes the expansion of the Deep Roads to the influence of Iriché. Biseri is said to appear to travelers on the roads as a guide.
+|Relations with Other Races=The Himoja, the native people of Orinilure, have lived peacefully alongside the Oinien since 150 ME. They farm the [[Orinilure Valley]] and supply much of the Oinien's grain, and they act as the Oinien's eyes on the surface. Most live in villages along the valley's rivers, and some live in Oinien settlements.
-Minthari children are born without functioning eyes and are trained from birth in the use of echolocation and touch. Despite their physical fragility, they possess exceptional stamina and sensory awareness in enclosed spaces.
+The Oinien are close partners of the Arânzeni. They trade with the cities of the Baviare Vale by the Deep Roads and carry out the engineering on the Confederation's stretches of the network. Disputes do occur: tensions with certain Oinien guilds led the [[Council of Lavierin]] to build the [[Ziplițic District]] in 640 ME.
-The Minthari view their physiology not as a limitation but as a refinement—a purification of form in service to their purpose: to seek, to shape, and to understand what lies beneath.
+The Oinien have little contact with the [[Mundari]] and regard them as savages. They have supported the Arânzeni against them.
-|Culture and Society=Minthari culture is shaped by its complete integration with the underground world. With no access to sky, sun, or seasons, their society revolves around the cyclical rhythms of excavation and preservation. Life is governed by a deeply rooted philosophy that reveres Desire as sacred striving and treats Greed as a force to be understood, not blindly obeyed.
-===Social Structure===
-Minthari society is meritocratic, but not individualistic. Prestige is earned through one’s contributions to the community’s deeper understanding of the earth—whether as a miner, engineer, artisan, or scholar. Leadership in the Minthal Collective is chosen based on a cycle's wealth accumulation for the communmity, with the counter resetting every 3 cycles. The Republic of Astrathal is more democratic, although the results of elections often results in the wealthiest individuals success.
-Each settlement, large or small, functions as a cell of the greater Minthari society, maintaining harmony with its surroundings and with the other nodes of the Minthari network.
-===Craft and Art===
-Minthari craftsmanship emphasizes precision. Tools, weapons, and musical instruments double as surveying devices, navigational aids, or mnemonic tools in oral history.
-Art is primarily sonic and tactile: sculptures are meant to be touched, and poems are performed in chambers where meaning is shaped by the return of sound. Written language exists, but is used sparingly, often engraved in stone lines or raised scripts for touch-reading.
-|Notable Settlements=The two major cultural centers are:
-* Minthal, beneath the Minthal Range, known for its conservatism, ritual stonework, and deeply formalized trade pacts.
-* Astrathal, beneath the [[Astrathal Range]], a more experimental, adaptive society open to more surface interaction and unorthodox mining practices.
-|Relations with Other Races=The Minthari maintain isolationist but pragmatic relations with surface peoples. Surface-dwellers are referred to respectfully as the Unshrouded, though they are often considered naively addicted to light and illusion.
-|Abilities and [[Osia]]=The Minthari are renowned earth manipulators, shaping their environment with unparalleled skill:
-* Earth Sensing – Detecting mineral [[veins]], hidden caverns, and seismic shifts deep within the mountains.
-* Rock Shaping – Using geomantic force to sculpt stone, reinforce tunnels, and create intricate architecture.
-* Tremor Manipulation – Some Minthari can generate controlled vibrations, either to weaken rock formations for excavation or to defend against intruders.
-=== Language and Communication ===
-The Minthari primarily communicate through a combination of deep resonant speech and vibrational signals, which can be felt rather than heard. This allows them to convey complex information even in complete darkness. Their written language consists of intricate carvings and reliefs, often incorporated into their architecture.
 }}
+[[category:Orinilure]]